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DOL updates i-Cert system

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced that it is upgrading its i-Cert system. Since July 1, 2009, employers have had to process Labor Condition Applications (LCA) through the i-Cert system.

The DOL stated that the key features in the update include:

The ability to withdraw certified LCAs on-line as long as the LCA was initially filed through the i-Cert system.

The ability for main account holders to grant account permission to their associate accounts.

The ability of associate account holders to create profiles for frequently used company/attorney information and can use those profiles to pre-fill applicable sections on the LCA form.

The ability to copy the Attorney/Agent's e-mail address with certification and denial reasons that have previously only been sent to the employer's main contact address.

Enhanced and updated user guide detailing more application features.

Usability and navigation enhancements to the system.

The upgrade does not change the amount of time that is required to be out of the system before logging back into the system if a user is timed out of the system. Unlike the current PERM system where a user who is timed out of the system can immediately re-access the system, i-Cert requires users to remain out of the system for 15 minutes before the system will time-out and allow the user back into the system. This 15 minutes delay has caused disruption within attorneys' offices and employers' offices because it has caused an unnecessary increase in the amount of time for which it takes to process some LCAs when users are inexplicably timed out of the system. To date, the DOL has not indicated that it will be modifying this time-out delay.